Love, Light and Life
... more than a devotional14-2-2023
DECEPTIVE SUGGESTIONS
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32 NKJV
Yes, the devil planned to sift Peter as wheat. To sift is to pass something through a sieve, so that when it fails the test of being a valuable substance, it just falls away as chaff. So the devil planned to make Peter fall away from the fold of Jesus, like wheat chaff would fall from the sieve.
But glory be to God, for His mercies and the prayer of Jesus Christ, that assured Peter of salvation. How did the devil intend to make Peter fall though? By pushing him to deny the master, Through the deceptive suggestions of the enemy.
"When Peter is in a difficult situation, talk to him in a way that makes it easy for him to escape, if only he would deny Jesus". So the slave girl asks Peter "you are not one of his disciples are you?" (John 18:17,25).
The questions' format was intentionally inspired by Satan to make Peter easily consider denial. The devil does same today. But don't fall for it. Choose to love the Lord, at the expense of anything else.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I understand that if the world hated you, then it would hate me. If they persecuted you, then they would persecute me. And if they listened to you, then they would listen to me. I choose to love you regardless, even till the very end, in Jesus name. Amen.
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